Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
You know what makes fall amazing? This pumpkin mac and cheese! I make it all season long because it’s just so cozy and delicious.
The pumpkin sneaks in there but doesn’t scream “pumpkin pie!” It just makes everything extra creamy with a gorgeous orange glow. That crispy panko on top? Pure heaven. My family clears their plates every time, and honestly, I can’t blame them one bit!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Grab these items from your pantry and fridge. Pop down to the recipe card to see exactly how much you need.
- Elbow Macaroni: Little pasta tubes that catch all that cheesy sauce in their cute curves.
- Unsalted Butter: Makes everything rich and silky without going overboard on salt.
- All-Purpose Flour: This thickens up your sauce so it clings to every noodle.
- Whole Milk: Brings the creaminess we’re all here for in mac and cheese.
- Canned Pumpkin: Adds that fall vibe and pretty color—grab plain pumpkin, not pie filling!
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Tangy and bold, this cheese brings serious flavor to the party.
- Gruyere Cheese: Fancy name, amazing taste—it makes this mac and cheese feel special.
- Ground Nutmeg: Just a pinch warms everything up and plays nice with pumpkin.
- Dried Thyme: This herb keeps things savory instead of sweet, which is key.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: Gets all golden and crunchy on top while baking.
How to Make Pumpkin Mac and Cheese?
This comes together faster than you think! Get everything measured out first because once you start, things move quick.
Step 1: Preheat and Cook Pasta
Turn your oven to 375°F so it’s ready later. Boil 16 oz elbow macaroni but stop cooking 1 minute early—they’ll finish in the oven.
Step 2: Create the Roux Base
Melt ⅓ cup unsalted butter in your big pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in ⅓ cup all-purpose flour bit by bit while whisking like crazy.
Step 3: Build the Creamy Sauce
Pour in 3 cups whole milk slowly while you keep whisking. Let it bubble and thicken up for about 5 minutes until it coats your whisk.
Step 4: Add Pumpkin and Seasonings
Stir in ¾ cup canned pumpkin, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper until everything blends together nicely.
Step 5: Melt in the Cheese
Toss in 4 ounces sharp cheddar and 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, a little at a time. Wait for each handful to melt before adding more—patience pays off here!
Step 6: Combine Pasta with Sauce
Take the pot off the heat and dump in your drained macaroni. Stir it all up so every single noodle gets covered in that gorgeous cheese sauce.
Step 7: Prepare for Baking
Now, put the creamy mixture into your 2-quart baking dish—no need to grease it. Scatter ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs across the top so it gets all crispy and golden.
Step 8: Bake Until Golden
Pop it in the oven for 25 minutes until the top turns brown and you see bubbles around the edges. Let it cool just a minute, then DIG IN!
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Want this to turn out amazing? Here’s what works for me every single time.
- Prep Ingredients First: Line up everything before you start cooking because you won’t have time to hunt for stuff once things get going.
- Shred Fresh Cheese: Don’t grab the bagged stuff—those weird additives stop the cheese from melting smooth and gooey like you want it to.
- Use Pure Pumpkin: Check that label twice! You want plain pumpkin, not the pie filling with all that sugar and spice already mixed in there.
- Cook Al Dente: Pull your pasta early because it keeps cooking in the oven, and nobody wants mushy noodles ruining their dinner.
- Whisk Constantly: Keep that whisk moving when you add the milk or you’ll get weird lumps that wreck your smooth sauce.
- Don’t Rush Cheese: Add cheese slowly and let it melt completely each time—this is how you get that silky texture we all love.
Variations and Substitutions
Feel free to switch things up and make this recipe work for what you have or what you’re craving today!
- Cheese Options: Smoked Gouda tastes incredible in this, or try fontina if that’s what you’ve got—really, any melty cheese works great here.
- Pasta Shapes: Shells catch even more sauce, or cavatappi looks fancy—pick whatever short pasta shape makes you happy and run with it.
- Add Protein: Crumbled bacon makes this heartier, or leftover chicken works too—basically anything you’d eat with cheese is fair game for tossing in.
- Extra Veggies: Sautéed mushrooms add earthiness, spinach sneaks in some greens, or roasted squash doubles down on that fall feeling you’re going for.
- Spice It Up: A pinch of cayenne gives it a tiny kick if you like things warmer than your average mac and cheese dish.
- Gluten-Free Version: Swap in gluten-free pasta and use cornstarch instead of flour—just tweak the amounts until the sauce looks right to you.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This stuff reheats like a dream, which makes it perfect when you need dinner ready fast! Make everything through step 6, cover it tight, and stick it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
When you’re ready to eat, bake it straight from the fridge, but give it 5-10 extra minutes since it’s cold. Leftovers stay good in a sealed container for 4 days in the fridge. Microwave single servings or warm the whole dish covered at 350°F until it’s hot and bubbly again.
Recipe FAQs
Can I freeze pumpkin mac and cheese?
Yep! Freeze it before baking and it’ll last 3 months. Thaw it overnight in your fridge before you bake it.
Can I make this without pumpkin?
Sure thing—just leave it out and add ¾ cup more milk instead. You’ll have regular mac and cheese that’s still super creamy.
Is this recipe spicy or sweet?
Neither one, actually! It’s savory with just a hint of pumpkin flavor. The spices make it warm and cozy, not sweet like pie.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead?
Nope, don’t do it—pie filling has sugar and spices already in there. Stick with plain pumpkin puree or it’ll taste all wrong.
How do I prevent grainy cheese sauce?
Shred your own cheese from a block and add it slowly over low heat. Pre-shredded cheese has stuff in it that makes the sauce grainy.
Can I make this in advance?
Absolutely! Put it together, cover it, and refrigerate for 2 days. Just add a few extra minutes to the baking time when starting cold.
What’s the best cheese combination?
Sharp cheddar with Gruyere is PERFECT—you get bold flavor plus that fancy nutty taste. Mix different cheeses to find what you love best.
Can I use different milk?
Whole milk makes it creamiest. You can use 2% milk, but your sauce won’t be quite as rich and thick.
How do I know when it’s done?
Look for golden brown breadcrumbs on top and sauce bubbling hard around the edges. That’s when you know it’s ready to eat!
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 ounces Gruyere cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat and cook pasta: Turn your oven to 375°F and get macaroni boiling—stop cooking 1 minute early so it stays firm, then drain it.
- Make the roux: Melt ⅓ cup butter in your big pot over medium heat, then whisk in ⅓ cup flour little by little until smooth and bubbly.
- Make cheese sauce base: Pour 3 cups milk in slowly while whisking nonstop, then cook about 5 minutes until it thickens up and just starts bubbling.
- Add pumpkin mixture: Stir ¾ cup pumpkin, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper in there until everything mixes together.
- Melt cheese gradually: Toss in 4 ounces cheddar and 4 ounces Gruyere bit by bit, stirring each handful until it melts completely and your sauce gets silky.
- Combine with pasta: Take the pot off heat, dump in your drained macaroni, and stir it all up so every noodle gets coated with that yummy sauce.
- Prepare for baking: Scoop the whole thing into your 2-quart dish without greasing it, then sprinkle ⅓ cup panko over the top for that crunchy golden layer.
- Bake until golden: Stick it in the oven for 25 minutes until the breadcrumbs turn brown and you see bubbles around the edges—then it's time to EAT!
Notes
- Plain canned pumpkin is what you want here, not pie filling—that sugary, spiced stuff will make this taste weird instead of savory.
- Shred cheese yourself from blocks because the pre-shredded bags have coatings that make your sauce grainy instead of smooth and creamy.
- Undercook your pasta a bit since it keeps cooking when you bake it—this stops you from ending up with mushy noodles nobody wants.
- Regular breadcrumbs work fine if you don’t have panko, but panko makes a lighter and crispier top that looks and tastes better.
- Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 days—reheat in the microwave or oven at 350°F covered until hot.
